Dan Aykroyd and Jill Scott are coming down South for "Get on Up." The
two were revealed Thursday (Oct. 31) to be the latest cast additions to director Tate Taylor's James Brown biopic, pre-production for which is underway
in Mississippi.

According
to The Hollywood Reporter, Aykroyd will play Brown's longtime talent agent,
Ben Bart. Scott will play Brown's wife, in a part that THR says is being
written specifically for her.

Chadwick Boseman will play Brown in Taylor's film, which
traces the history of "the Godfather of Soul," starting with his rural rearing and
following his journey to eventual superstardom. Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
and Lennie James are also among the cast.

The official synopsis: "Based on the incredible
life story of the Godfather of Soul, the film will give a fearless look inside
the music, moves and moods of Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his
impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential
figures of the 20th century."

"Get On Up" will be Mississippi native
Taylor's follow-up to his 2010 Oscar-winning film "The Help," which also
starred Spencer and Davis. It will be shot entirely in Mississippi, with production
scheduled to begin this month in Natchez and Jackson, and continue through the
end of January.

The Universal-backed "Get On
Up" is scheduled for release on Oct. 17, 2014.